Jehan Augier A Paris

Jehan Augier A Paris, circa 1640 Important and very fine gold and enamel "Blois" watch, with original silver-gilt protecting case. Two-body, enamelled on all surfaces, the back with the Holy Family, the band with yellow framed landscape vignettes painted alternately in a grey and red palette, the interior with a finely detailed perspective lakeside landscape. Bezel with black floral motifs on a white enamel ground. Two body silver protecting case lined in blue velvet with old collection labels. Enamel on gold with Roman hour numerals and half-hour marks, the centre with a landscape. Single gilt brass tulip hand. GiIt brass, full-plate with turned balluster pillars, fusee with gut, short train, verge escapement with plain twoarm steel balance without spring, oval pattern pierced and florally engraved cock, the ratchet wheel set-up with similarly decorated click. Signed on the movement. In good condition (see below) Diam.56 mm.case, 60 mm.protecting case. Notes Jehan (Jean) Augier, Paris, Master in 1600, recorded in 1620. Another enamel watch with a similar subject was sold at the Bloch sale in Paris in 1921.Further examples with enamelled cases are in the Louvre, Paris ( Garnier Collection) and the Musée de la Chaux de Fonds. Although details of his working life are sketchy, the fact that Augier became a màitre in 1600 confirms this watch as an early example of Blois school enamelling where a subject, usually taken from an existing painting or print is reproduced(see b